Extractor type mop

ABSTRACT

An extractor type mop comprising a backing member including a pair of spaced hingedly mounted panels lying in substantially open coplanar position, a sponge element secured to the undersides of said panels, and an extractor linkage mounted relative to the upper sides of the panels, said extractor linkage comprising a bellcrank type of lever having a central portion pivotally mounted relative to said backing member and having a first portion for receiving a force and a second portion adopted to engage said panels with a sliding lane contact to move said panels from said substantially open coplanar position to a substantially parallel closed position wherein they compress said sponge element therebetween to effect wringing, lugs mounted on said upper sides of said panels for engagement by said arms when said force is reversed to thereby return said panels to said substantially open coplanar position from said substantially closed parallel position and a depending rim provided on said backing member for enhancing the rigidity thereof to thereby permit it to receive a greater force without being distorted during the sponge wringing process.

United States Patent [1 1 Park [ EXTRACIOR TYPE MOP [75] Inventor: Marvin C. Park, Buffalo, NY.

[73] Assigneez Truly Magic Products, Inc., Buffalo,

[22] Filed: Feb. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 223,982

. 15/244 R [51] Int. Cl. A471 13/12, A47l 13/146 [58] Field of Search l5/ll6 R, 116 A, 119 R, l5/l 19 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,768,398 10/1956 Karlitsky 15/119 A 2,916,754 12/1959 Zottola 15/116 A 2,730,743 l/1956 Zottola 15/116 A 2,892,201 6/1959 Peterson et al.... 15/119 A 3,286,294 11/1966 Raffe 15/119 AU X 2,251,384 8/1971- Thomas l5/l 19 A 2,779,959 2/1957 Hvale 15/119 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 697,400 9/1953 Great Britain 15/121 1,226,647 2/1960 France 15/116 A 1,176,065 11/1958 France 15/119 A Apr. 30, 1974 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph P. Gastel, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An extractor type mop comprising a backing member including a pair of spaced hingedly mounted panels lying in substantially open coplanar position, a sponge element secured to the undersides of said panels, and an extractor linkage mounted relative to the upper sides of the panels, said extractor linkage comprising a bellcrank type of lever having a central portion pivotally mounted relative to said backing member and having a first portion for receiving a force and a second portion adopted to engage said panels with a sliding lane contact to move said panels from said substantially open coplanar position to a substantially parallel closed position wherein they compress said sponge element therebetween to effect wringing, lugs mounted on said upper sides of said panels for engagement by said arms when said force is reversed to thereby return said panels to said substantially open coplanar position from said substantially closed parallel position and a depending rim provided on said backing member for enhancing the rigidity thereof to thereby permit it to receive a greater force without being distorted during the sponge wringing process.

6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures EXTRACTOR TYPE MOP The present invention relates to an improved mop of the type having its own extractor carried thereon, this type of mop also being known as a self-wringing mop.

By way of These various extractor types of mops have been devised in the past. However, they were subject to certain shortcomings. Certain constructions required a relatively high actuating force to effect the wringing of the mop element, which caused the user of the mop to expend a great sponge amount of energy. sponge mops utilized rollers to force the sponge mounting panels toward each other to compress the sponge therebetween. However, these rollers provided an extremely high frictional resistance because of the manner in which they were mounted. Other types of mops had linkages which were connected to fixed points on 'the spone backing member. These linkages were oriented in such a manner that they required the application of a relatively high force for effecting the wringing of the mop element. In addition, prior self-wringing mops included linkages which were relatively complex and therefore subject to malfunction as well as being relatively expensive to fabricate. It is with overcoming the foregoing deficiencies of extractor type mops of the prior art that the present invention is concerned.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved mop of the extractor type which requires an extremely low force to effect the wringing of the sponge element.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved extractor type mop which is extremely simple in construction and which has relatively few parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved extractor type mop which is very sturdy, thereby being capable of receiving an extremely large force for effecting more efficient wringing of the mop element. Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.

The improved extractor mop of the present invention comprises a backing member including first and second spaced panels each having first and second opposite sides, a mop element secured relative to said first sides of said panels, hinge means mounting said panels for movement from a first position wherein they support said mop element in an exposed condition for engaging a surface to be mopped to a second position wherein said mop element is compressed between said panels to effect wringing of said mop element, and an extractor linkage mounted relative to said second sides, said extractor linkage including a first linkage portion for receiving a force and a second linkage portion for moving said panels from said first position to said second position, said second linkage portion including spaced arms for sliding across said second sides with substantially only line contact so as to permit said force to be rela-v tively low. The extractor linkage also positively moves said panels from the closed position to the fully open position, thereby obviating the necessity for springs to effect this function, and when in said open position positively holds said panels against movement thereby insuring good solid engagement between the sponge element carried thereby and the surface to be mopped.

The various aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood when the following portions of the specification are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the improved mop of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. I and showing in plan the mop head including a portion of the extractor linkage;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the mop head taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing further details of construction of the mop head;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 of FIG. 1 and showing a detail of the mounting for the actuating linkage;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 and showing the details of a detent holding mechanism on the mop handle for maintaining actuating lever of the linkage in. a position which causes the mop head to be held open for use;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational-view taken in the direction of line 7--7 of FIG. 3 and showing the mop head in a fully open position;

FIG. 8 is a view taken substantially in the direction of line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and showing the relationship between the extractor linkage and the backing member when the mop head is open;

FIG. 9 is a view taken from the same point as line 77 but showing the backing member being moved halfway toward a closed or wringing position by the extractor linkage; 7

FIG. 10 is a view taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 7--7 but showing the panels of the backing member moved to a fully closed wringing position; 7

FIG. 12 is a view taken substantially along line 12'l2 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the mop head showing a waxer attachment mounted on the mop head;

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 14-14 of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the mop head showing an alternate mode of attaching the brush.

The improved mop 10 of the present invention includes an elongated handle 11 having a hand grip 12 at its upper end and a mop head or element 13 mounted on its lower end by means of block 15 which includes an aperture 16 for receiving the end 17 of hollow tubular handle 11 which is thereafter secured therein by screw 18. Cylindrical filler rods 11' and 11" of suitable material rigidize handle 11. The underside of block 15 engages the upper surface 19 of central portion 21 of backing member 14 and is secured thereto by screws 20 which extend upwardly through said central portion 21 and are received in block 15, as can best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4. Backing member 14 is fabricated from a suitable plastic such as molded polyethylene and includes wings or panels 22 formed integrally therewith and extending laterally outwardly from the central backing portion 21. Rims 23 are formed integrally with and extend downwardly from opposite ends of panels 22. Rim 24 is formed integrally with and extends downwardly from the rear of backing member 14 and rim 25 is formed integrally with and extends downwardly from the front of backing member 14. The ends of rims 23, 24 and 25 merge into each other as can best be seen from FIG. 2.

A cellulosic sponge element 26 of substantially solid rectangular configuration is mounted on the underside of backing member 14 and is confined within the borders defined by rims 23, 24 and 25. More specifically, the upper side of sponge 26 is bonded to spaced rectangular mounting plates 27 and heads 29 of screws 28 are interposed between the top of sponge 26 and the undersurfaces of plates 27. (See FIG. 3). Stems 30 f screws 28 extend through apertures 31 in panels 22 and nuts 32 are threaded onto stems 30. Nuts 32 are of the type which can be manipulated by the fingers so as to permit mounting and demounting of these nuts manually to permit removal and reinstallation of a sponge element 26 on backing member 14, as required.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved extractor linkage 33 is provided for the purpose of enhancing the ease with which liquid may be extracted or wrung from sponge 26. Linkage 33 is essentially a modified bellcrank type of lever having a central pivotal axis or linkage portion 34 journalled in bore 35 of block 15. An inverted U-shaped yoke-like member 36 includes a pair of downwardly extending arms 37 which are joined at their upper ends 38 by reduced neck portion 38'. The lower ends 39 of legs 38 are formed integrally with gusset portions 40 which are welded to opposite ends of central portion 34. Arms or linkage portions 41 are formed integrally with gusset portions 40 and extend at generally right angles to arms 37. When sponge 26 is fully extended to an open position, panels 22 are essentially in coplanar relationship and portions 42 of arms 41 lie substantially parallel to panels 22 of the backing member. Arm portions 42 merge at their outer ends into upwardly curved portions 42'. v

The extractor linkage 33 is actuated by lever 43 from the solid line position of FIG. 1 to the dotted line positions shown therein to effect extraction of the sponge. In the solid line position of lever 43, the mop element 13 will occupy the positions of FIGS. 7 and 8. When knob 44 is grasped and swung in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1, lever 43, which is pivoted on pin 45 on handle 11, will cause link 46, which is pivotally secured to lever 43 by pin 47, to move in the direction of arrow 48 in FIG. 1 so as to cause extractor linkage 33 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1 about central portion 34 as an axis. The lower portion of link 46 is formed into an eye 48 which encircles the reduced neck portion 38' of yoke 36.

After actuating lever 43 moves to the position 43, linkage 33 will assume the positions shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Thus the undersides of portions 42' of arms 41 willhave contacted panels 22 of backing member 14 with a-sliding engagement and with line contact substantially in the direction of the length of arms 42. Continued movement of the actuating lever to the dotted line position 43" will cause the extractor linkage 33 to move to the positions shown in FIGS. 1 1 and 12 with successive portions of the undersides of outer ends 42' of arms 41 continuing to slide across panels 22 with line contact, as can be visualized by a comparison of FIGS. 9 and 10 on one hand and FIGS. 11 and 12 on the other. In FIG. 12 panels 22 of backing member 14 are substantially parallel to each other to thereby cause sponge 26 to be completely compressed between panels 22. Arms 41 are extremely rigid and positioned in fixed relationship to each other so that their only reaction with panels 22 is by a relative sliding motion. In other words, they do not move together or apart during sponge squeezing action. The force which must be transmitted to linkage 33 to effect the extraction is relatively small because the panels 22 are engaged by the outer ends 42' of arms 41 with substantially only a line contact which reduces the frictional force which would otherwise be present if there was a large area of frictional engagement between the extractor linkage and the panels 22 of the backing member 14. The frictional force is also reduced because of the fact that the soapy water in which the mop was previously immersed acts as a lubricant.

The panels 22 can assume the parallel position shown in FIG. 12 because front rim 25 and rear rim 24 have V-notches such as 50-51 and 52-53, respectively, therein with corresponding notches in the front and rear rims being in alignment with each other. The upper portions of the notches form slots 54 and 55 in backing member 14. These slots comprise the boundaries between central portion 21 and the panels 22 of backing member 14. Slots 54 and 55 act as hinges about which panels 22 pivot in moving from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 12. The depending rims 2324-25 act to impart rigidity to backing member 14, thereby permitting it to accept a relatively large sponge-squeezing force, which can be determined by the spacing between the outer ends 42' of arms 41. In other words, if arm portions 42' are relatively close together, a relatively high wringing force will be applied to sponge element 26.

In order to return the mop head 13 to the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 from the position of FIGS. 11 and 12, actuating lever 43 is moved from position 43" in FIG. 1 to position 43 by pivoting lever 43 in a clockwise direction. More specifically, once handle reaches position 43', the backing member 14 will assume the positions shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and when the lever reaches position 43, the backing member 14 will assume the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the foregoing respect, when extractor linkage 33 pivots in a clockwise direction from the positions shown in FIGS. 1112 to the positions shown in FIGS. 9-10, nothing will occur except that the expansion of compressed sponge 26 will cause panels 22 to assume the position shown in FIG. 10. Thereafter continued clockwise pivotal movement of linkage 33 will cause the upper surfaces of arm portions 43 to engage lugs 56 which are riveted to backing panels 22 at 57 to thus positively pull panels 22 from the position shown in FIG. 10 to the position shown in FIG. 8 wherein panels 22 are in substantially coplanar relationship to each other.

It is to be especially noted that there are no springs or the like between panels 22 and central backing member portion 21. Thus there is no force required to overcome the action of any springs, thereby further contributing toward the ease with which the improved extractor linkage of the present invention functions. Once backing member 14 has been straightened out to the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be held in this position because of the engaged relationship between lugs 56 and arms 41. Arms 41 will bear on the back of panels 22 when the mop is pressed against the floor during scrubbing, and thus they will act to rigidize panels 22 against moving up away from the floor. In other words, arms 41, by bearing on panels 22, will transmit a downward scrubbing force thereto. The foregoing action of arms 41 is especially effective because they are spaced laterally outwardly of hinge portions 54-55. Furthermore, the downward bearing force provided by arms 41 tends to be transmitted through the entire portions of panels 22 because of the rigidizing effect of rims 23-24-25.

A ball detent construction 59 is mounted on handle 11 (FIGS. 1 and 6) and includes a U-shaped member having a portion 60 which encircles handle 11 and which is secured thereto by screw 61. A pair of upstanding arms 62 are formed integrally with portion 60 and each mount a ball detent 63 which is biased by a spring 64 into engagement with a depression 65 on the opposite sides of lever 43. When ball detents 63 are in depression 65, lever 43 will be retained in the position shown in FIG. 1 so as to cause the mop element 13 to be held in a fully open position.

Secured to front rim 25 of backing member 14 by screws 67 are aligned brushes 68 having base portions 69 from which bristles 70 extend. The brushes can be used for the purpose of providing a brushing action on particularly'stubborn dirt deposits. The brushes can be removed by merely unscrewing screws 67 so as to release them from the tapped holes 71 in rim 25.

In FIGS. 13 and 14 a clip-on type of waxer attachment 73 is disclosed having a rectangular base 74 and sides 75 extending upwardly from base 74. A thin waxabsorbing sponge 76 has a portion 76 bonded to base 74 and portions 76" bonded to sides 75 for applying wax to a surface. Tab portions 77 extend inwardly from side 75 to engage backing member 14 and tabs 78 extend inwardly from the opposite side 75 to also engage backing member 14. The waxer attachment 73 provides a clip-on type of action because it is fabricated from flexible plastic, and it is installed after brushes 68 are removed. The waxer 73 can also be removed by merely spreading the sides 75 on which tabs 77 and 78 are mounted and pulling the parts apart.

An alternate arrangement for mounting brushes is shown in FIG. 15. In this arrangement the screws 80 extend through rim 25 in an opposite direction than screws 67 are received in tapped apertures 81 in brush elements 68 which are otherwise identical to those shown in FIG. 2. The mounting connection shown in FIG. is preferred where brushes 68' are not to be removable.

While actuating lever 43 has been shown at substantially the midpoint of handle 11 in FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that it can be located either higher or lower,

as desired, or it can be positioned within four or five ber including first and second spaced panels each having first and second opposite sides, a mop element secured relative to said first sides of said panels, hinge means mounting said panels for movement from a first position wherein they support said mop element in an exposed condition for engaging a surface to be mopped to a second position wherein said mop element is compressed between said panels to effect wringing of said mop element, an extractor linkage mounted relative to said second sides, said extractor linkage including a first linkage portion for receiving a force which produces wringing and a second linkage portion for moving said panels from said first position to said second position, said second linkage portion including spaced arms for wiping across said second sides, said spaced arms including curved portions which successively smoothly engage said second sides in a direction substantially lengthwise of said arms as said arms wipe across said second sides, said extractor linkage comprising a bellcrank type of lever including a central linkage portion pivoted relative to said backing member, said spaced arms being connected to said central linkage portion and said curved portions being spaced from said pivotal axis, and said first linkage portion for receiving said force comprising arm means connected to said central linkage portion.

2. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 1 including first and second lug means extending outwardly from said second sides for engagement by said spaced arms to move said panels from said second position to said first position upon the reversing of said force.

3. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spaced arms include substantially straight portions extending away from said central linkage portion and merging into said curved portions, said substantially straight portions lying substantially in abutting relationship to said second sides of said panels to reinforce said panels against movement away from a surface being mopped.

4. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 3 in cluding a block mounted centrally on said backing member, and a bore in said block for journalling said central linkage portion.

5. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 3 including a downwardly depending peripheral rim on said backing member for rigidizing said backing member and confining said mop element therein.

6. An extractor type mop comprising a backing member including first and second spaced panels each having first and second opposite sides, a mop element secured relative to said first sides of said panels, hinge means mounting said panels for movement from a first position wherein they support said mop element in an exposed condition for engaging a surface to be mopped to a second position wherein said mop element is compressed between said panels to effect wringing of said mop element, and an extractor linkage mounted relative to said second sides, said extractor linkage including a first linkage portion for receiving a force which produces wringing and a second linkage portion for moving said panels from said first position to, said second position, said second linkage portion including spaced rod-like arms which are curved away from said second sides of said panels with each arm having an arcuate surface crosswise to the length thereof, said arms being oriented so as to wipe across said second sides with substantially only line contact in a direction substantially lengthwise of said arms so as to cause said force to be relatively low.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. I Dated April 0, 1974 mentor) Marvin C. Park It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Q In the Abstract, line 11, before "contact", change "lane" to read --line- Column 1, line 6, after "By way of", change "These" to --background,--; line 11, after "great" cancel "sponge"; line 12, change "sponge" (first occurrence) to --These--;, line 18, change "spone" to sponge.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of September 1974.

CS l

Attest; v v

MC0Y M. GIBSON, JR. c., MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. An extractor type mop comprising a backing member including first and second spaced panels each having first and second opposite sides, a mop element secured relative to said first sides of said panels, hinge means mounting said panels for movement from a first position wherein they support said mop element in an exposed condition for engaging a surface to be mopped to a second position wherein said mop element is compressed between said panels to effect wringing of said mop element, an extractor linkage mounted relative to said second sides, said extractor linkage including a first linkage portion for receiving a force which produces wringing and a second linkage portion for moving said panels from said first position to said second position, said second linkage portion including spaced arms for wiping across said second sides, said spaced arms including curved portions which successively smoothly engage said second sides in a direction substantially lengthwise of said arms as said arms wipe across said second sides, said extractor linkage comprising a bellcrank type of lever including a central linkage portion pivoted relative to said backing member, said spaced arms being connected to said central linkage portion and said curved portions being spaced from said pivotal axis, and said first linkage portion for receiving Said force comprising arm means connected to said central linkage portion.
 2. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 1 including first and second lug means extending outwardly from said second sides for engagement by said spaced arms to move said panels from said second position to said first position upon the reversing of said force.
 3. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spaced arms include substantially straight portions extending away from said central linkage portion and merging into said curved portions, said substantially straight portions lying substantially in abutting relationship to said second sides of said panels to reinforce said panels against movement away from a surface being mopped.
 4. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 3 including a block mounted centrally on said backing member, and a bore in said block for journalling said central linkage portion.
 5. An extractor type mop as set forth in claim 3 including a downwardly depending peripheral rim on said backing member for rigidizing said backing member and confining said mop element therein.
 6. An extractor type mop comprising a backing member including first and second spaced panels each having first and second opposite sides, a mop element secured relative to said first sides of said panels, hinge means mounting said panels for movement from a first position wherein they support said mop element in an exposed condition for engaging a surface to be mopped to a second position wherein said mop element is compressed between said panels to effect wringing of said mop element, and an extractor linkage mounted relative to said second sides, said extractor linkage including a first linkage portion for receiving a force which produces wringing and a second linkage portion for moving said panels from said first position to said second position, said second linkage portion including spaced rod-like arms which are curved away from said second sides of said panels with each arm having an arcuate surface crosswise to the length thereof, said arms being oriented so as to wipe across said second sides with substantially only line contact in a direction substantially lengthwise of said arms so as to cause said force to be relatively low. 